Chapter 9: Into the Unknown
The first rays of dawn painted the sky in hues of orange and pink as Rylan stood at the edge of the Whispering Woods, his bag slung over his shoulder and the short sword strapped to his side. His bird perched on a low branch nearby, its golden streaks shimmering faintly in the morning light.
The villagers were nowhere to be seen—Rylan hadn't expected a send-off, not after the way they had treated him. But that was fine. He didn't need their approval anymore.
"Alright," Rylan said, taking a deep breath. "Let's do this."
The bird chirped softly and flew to his shoulder, nudging his cheek as if to reassure him.
With one final glance at the village behind him, Rylan stepped into the forest, the dense canopy swallowing him whole.
A Dangerous Encounter
The Whispering Woods stretched endlessly before him, the tall trees casting long shadows across the uneven ground. Rylan kept his eyes sharp, scanning for signs of danger. This wasn't the first time he'd ventured into the forest, but it was the first time he wouldn't be turning back.
Hours passed in relative silence, broken only by the occasional rustle of leaves or the distant cry of a beast. Rylan's bird flitted between branches, keeping a watchful eye on their surroundings.
They reached a shallow stream, where Rylan crouched to refill his waterskin. He let the cold water trickle over his fingers, savoring the brief moment of peace.
That peace was shattered by a low, guttural growl.
Rylan froze, his hand hovering over the water. Slowly, he turned his head toward the source of the sound.
A large, wolf-like beast emerged from the underbrush, its fur bristling and its yellow eyes locked onto him. Its muscles rippled as it stepped forward, lips curling to reveal sharp fangs.
"Great," Rylan muttered, reaching for his sword.
The bird screeched, flying into the air and flaring its wings. The golden glow startled the beast for a moment, but it quickly recovered, snarling and crouching low to the ground.
Rylan raised his sword, his heart pounding. "Stay sharp," he said to the bird. "We've handled worse than this."
The Battle
The wolf-beast lunged, its claws raking through the air. Rylan rolled to the side, barely avoiding the attack. He scrambled to his feet, gripping his sword tightly as the beast turned to face him again.
The bird swooped low, its golden light flaring brighter. The wolf snarled, shaking its head as the glow disoriented it, but it didn't retreat.
"Keep it distracted!" Rylan called.
The bird dived again, raking its talons across the beast's flank. The wolf howled in pain, spinning to swipe at the bird, but it was too fast.
Seeing his chance, Rylan surged forward, his sword slashing downward. The blade cut into the wolf's shoulder, drawing blood. The beast yelped and stumbled back, but its eyes burned with fury.
The fight raged on, the wolf's movements growing more desperate as Rylan and his bird worked together to wear it down. Finally, with a burst of golden light, the bird delivered a final, blinding strike, stunning the beast.
Rylan didn't hesitate. He drove his sword forward, the blade sinking deep into the wolf's side. The beast let out one last growl before collapsing to the ground, its yellow eyes dimming.
Rylan staggered back, his chest heaving. The bird landed on his shoulder, its golden eye meeting his.
"Good job," Rylan panted, brushing a hand over the bird's feathers. "We're getting better at this."
A New Ally?
As Rylan caught his breath, he noticed something glinting near the beast's neck. Stepping closer, he saw a small, metal collar hidden beneath its fur. He frowned, crouching to examine it.
"What's this?" he murmured, running his fingers over the strange markings etched into the metal. They didn't look like anything he'd seen before—intricate runes that seemed to pulse faintly with energy.
The bird chirped sharply, its golden eye fixed on the collar.
"You think this means something?" Rylan asked.
The bird chirped again, flapping its wings as if urging him to take it.
Rylan hesitated, then unclasped the collar and slipped it into his bag. Whatever it was, it felt important—and he couldn't shake the feeling that it wasn't just a coincidence.
A Campfire Revelation
By the time the sun dipped below the horizon, Rylan had found a small clearing to set up camp. He built a fire, the flickering flames casting long shadows across the trees. The bird perched nearby, watching as Rylan pulled out the metal collar and turned it over in his hands.
"What do you think this is?" he asked, though he didn't expect an answer.
The bird tilted its head, then let out a soft chirp. Its golden glow flickered faintly, reflecting off the runes on the collar.
Rylan frowned. "Do you think this has something to do with tamers?"
The bird didn't respond, but its eye gleamed with something almost like recognition.
Rylan sighed, setting the collar aside. "Well, whatever it is, we'll figure it out later. For now, let's just focus on getting to the tournament."
The bird chirped softly, curling up beside him as the fire crackled.
Rylan stared into the flames, his thoughts drifting. The fight with the wolf-beast had been a reminder of how dangerous the world outside the village could be—but it had also shown him how far he and his bird had come.
"We're going to make it," he murmured, his hand resting lightly on the bird's feathers. "I know we will."
The bird let out a soft trill, its golden glow flickering like the firelight.
And as the stars spread across the sky above, Rylan felt, for the first time, that he was truly ready for whatever lay ahead.
End of Chapter 9